Thus we return to the three-foot tall model skyscraper left outside the mail room by the resident faculty, as they made their way from the wine cellar library where they spent the weekend drinking thinking on our motto of Magis vinum, magis verum (“More wine, more truth”) to the hot tub faculty lounge for their weekly game where the underwear goes flying planning conference.

The staff first thought this might be an architectural model for the new BPI Student Union. We decided against that idea for several reasons. First, the Faculty Senate haven’t discussed building a new Student Union, let alone held the requisite six-hour debate on whether to take a bathroom break before voting on the issue. Even if they had, skyscrapers are hardly in the BPI budget.

The Squirrel suggested the model might not be a model, but an actual squirrel addition to the existing Student Union. But Chef noted that none of the doors or windows open and squirrel students would have to chew through the walls to get inside. Moreover, there seemed to be no stairs or elevators between floors. All in all, the prospect of it being an actual Squirrel Student Union seemed remote.

The Professor of Astrology Janitor was distressed to discover that the model had been built on a wooden box he built to sit on while looking up at the stars to research the weekly Bippiescopes. It has a tray attached to hold his notes, along with a pouch for cleaning rags. Worse, the resident faculty had not only used his box as the foundation for their model. They also left a note in his research tray that read:

We made this completely on our own.

“That’s not even close to true,” the Professor of Astrology Janitor said. “First, it’s a plastic model. They just glued it together. And second, they used my box for their foundation!”

Chef brought him a bagel with cream cheese to help him calm down, but that only revived memories of The Cream Cheese Incident. Fortunately, the Professor of Astrology did not start another argument with the Janitor; the two of him simply gave the bagel to your lowly mail room clerk and then went to the kitchen for a cup of yogurt. (Note: The Professor of Astrology likes strawberry yogurt, while the Janitor will only eat banana. Fortunately the yogurt company knows this.)

That took care of breakfast for the Professor of Astrology Janitor and your lowly mail room clerk. Alas, we still hadn’t sorted out the resident faculty’s clue for the week. “They say they made this all on their own,” we mused between swallows, “but that’s obviously another campus myth.”

The Self-Made Myth. I hope that’s what it sounds like, because being “self-made” is a huge myth. In fact, that myth may be the only “self-made” thing around… made by ingrates who can’t look at their own lives and see how many others have helped them.

Looking forward to this discussion!

NCrissieB

It should be a fun topic. The book includes many examples of entrepreneurs and executives, many of whom were interviewed and agreed that their successes relied on the hard and soft infrastructure provided by government. None of us is “self-made,” and the authors propose The Built-Together Reality as a progressive narrative.

Good morning! ::hugggggs::

addisnana

I too am looking forward to this discussion! Self-made is such hog wash. I’ll be thinking about some examples!

NCrissieB

It should be a fun week. I’ve invited the authors to join our discussion. I don’t know if they will, as it’s a new book and I’m sure they’re swamped with media requests.

Issues of class may come up in the discussion, although the authors focus more on how the hard and soft infrastructure provided by government are the foundation for any ‘individual’ success. They call this The Built-Together Reality and devote the last part of the book to developing that progressive success story.